Virtual reality generator for use with financial information

ABSTRACT

A virtual reality generator having an input module that receives as input financial information is disclosed. The virtual reality generator outputs to a display device a virtual reality world generated from the financial information. The financial information can be pre-processed by a financial analytic system prior to input to the virtual reality generator. The financial information can be received from a data file. The virtual reality generator can dynamically display and continuously update the virtual reality world. Further, movement through the virtual reality world can be simulated.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to a virtual reality generator,and more particularly, a virtual reality generator for use withfinancial information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Virtual reality is a three dimensional computer-generatedinterface that allows users to see, move through and interact withinformation displayed as a three dimensional world. The threedimensional world is called a virtual reality world or Cyberspace. Forexample, a virtual reality world could be the inside of a building or agolf course. The virtual reality world is displayed using sophisticatedoutput devices, such as high resolution color screens or a headset witha monitor in front of each eye to give the user the illusion that he orshe is situated in the virtual reality world.

[0003] The virtual reality world can display real world objects. Forexample, a chair could be displayed in a virtual reality world,representing a chair in the real world and appearing to have all thephysical properties of a real world chair. In such a virtual realityworld, the user views and interacts with the display as if the user wasin the real world.

[0004] The virtual reality world is usually generated using a high speedcomputer processor and specialized graphics hardware. The computerprocessor and graphics hardware can be controlled by a program, called avirtual reality generator, to create and continuously modify a virtualreality world and to simulate movement through the virtual realityworld.

[0005] Virtual reality is regarded as having three features, namelyimmersion, navigation and interaction. Immersion is the use ofsophisticated output devices to create the illusion of being inside thecomputer generated virtual reality world. For example, a head mounteddisplay with a high resolution two dimensional color monitor in front ofeach eye can be used along with advanced three dimensional displaytechniques to create the illusion to the user that the user is insidethe computer generated display. Alternatively, a high resolution colordisplay, such as the NEC brand 20 inch monitor could be used “immerse”the user into the virtual reality world.

[0006] The second feature of virtual reality is the ability of the userto navigate through the virtual reality world. For example, the virtualreality generator could create a computer module of a molecule or a cityand enable the user to move through the molecule or city. The user cannavigate through the virtual reality world using control devices, suchas a trackball or spaceball, an electronic dataglove, a magnetic headposition tracker, a keyboard, a joystick or a steering wheel. The use ofa magnetic head position tracker and dataglove creates a high feeling ofimmersion and grants the user a great power of navigation (for example,by gestures) through a virtual reality environment.

[0007] The third feature of virtual reality, interaction, is the abilityof the user to interact with and control the virtual reality world. Forexample, a user can specify the parameters that define and metaphorsthat comprise the virtual reality world. Navigation and interaction areclosely related concepts.

[0008] Virtual reality environments can be created using object-orientedlibraries of functions. These functions can be inserted into a computerprogram for rapid prototyping to easily complete applicationdevelopment. A well known example of an object-oriented library offunctions is that created by the Sense8 Corporation of Sausalito,Calif., called the WorldToolKit library.

[0009] The WorldToolKit library is a library of C routines that lets adeveloper rapidly and easily build real-time three dimensionalsimulations and virtual world applications that run on desktopcomputers. The WorldToolKit library integrates a simulation manager, areal-time rendering pipeline, an object manager, texturing functions,animation sequences, input sensors, lights and graphics display devicesin a flexible object-oriented library. The WorldToolKit library'stexturing functions enable the development of applications withreal-time texture mapping. Video-realistic textures can be applied toobject surfaces in any orientation and scale, enabling the creation ofcompelling and lifelike virtual reality worlds. The WorldToolKit libraryhas drivers for many popular control devices and output devices so thatthe user can configure input and output. Head-tracking, gesture trackingand object manipulation are accomplished by coupling sensors tographical objects (or metaphors) and viewpoints. The WorldToolKitlibrary is fully described in the WorldToolKit Reference Manual, 1991,published by the Sense8 Corporation, Sausalito, incorporated herein byreference.

[0010] Money managers and financial analysts must absorb largequantities of financial information and pick out trends in thisinformation.

[0011] Money manager's and financial analysts often simultaneously viewseveral computer screens watching data come in from a wide variety ofsources in real-time and from other sources that are performingcalculations on financial information. The money manager must determinemovements in the market and other financial influences while makingquick decisions. It is difficult, however, to view numerical data frommany sources in real-time to notice overall trends and to consider thedistinct underlying characteristics of each security in ones portfolio.Even if the information is displayed in graphical form on each computerscreen, trends that concern all sources are difficult to spot. It isalso difficult to visualize the behavior of all the dimensionsunderlying individual security elements.

[0012] Trading firms and investment houses use personal computers tocreate graphical maps and charts as metaphors of their portfolioholdings. Many of these do not use real-time data inputs. Advanced firmsuse decision-support systems that allow traders on the floor to monitorreal-time incoming data using complex graphical models. Money managersand analysts use spreadsheets and graphs to understand financialinformation and trends. For example, a common system used for financialvisualization is the WingZ graphical spreadsheet program. Another is thePV-Wave data analysis program. Such programs cannot display manydifferent elements with unique characteristics at the same time ordisplay embedded dimensions, interactive three-dimensional animations ormultiple visual cues, especially cues that independent of each other.

[0013] Financial trading groups, for example stock and commodity brokersand foreign exchange traders, receive continuous streams of data viacommunications links information providers such as Reuters and DowJones. Spreadsheets and two and three dimensional graphs have been usedto display segments of this data, but only a very limited segment ofdata is able to be displayed at any one time and the trader is unable tosee trends across wide segments and dimensions of data. Further,graphical representation are more likely than tabular representations toshow patterns and irregularities, because humans are much better atpattern and scene recognition than at number processing and comparison.However, a two dimensional or a three dimensional graph is limited inthe amount of information that can be displayed and the amount ofinformation a user can interact with.

[0014] Analytic programs now in use do not enable the user to viewtrends in large amounts of financial information in a superior graphicalform while at the same time have the ability to view highly detaileddata about specific items of this information. Current user interfacesand display techniques for large quantities of financial information arelimited. A money manager is unable to “immerse” himself or herself intofinancial data representing many world markets and manipulate this datagraphically. In particular, money managers and financial analystscurrently can not use virtual reality techniques to analyze financialdata.

[0015] It is known the art to use virtual reality to model real worldobjects. For example, virtual reality has been used to create softwareapplications that let architects “view” interiors of buildings and thenenable a disabled person to “move” through the building to see if thedesign is satisfactory. Virtual reality has also been used to implementgames that allow a user play-act within a virtual reality world, toenable a pilot to simulate flying an aircraft, to allow a surgeon tosimulate a difficult operation and to allow a user to simulate visitingan art museum.

[0016] The use of virtual reality to allow a money manager or financialanalyst (or other information professional) to view, manipulate,structure and travel through a three dimensional virtual reality worldof financial information is not known. Nor is it known to use virtualreality techniques in combination with tools that carry out financialanalysis, or to create artificial terrains where the boundaries offeatures of the terrain are related to the taxonomy of system that isbeing modelled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention uses virtual reality techniques to allowmoney managers and financial analysts to easily view otherwiseunmanageable amounts of complex information and in particular, financialinformation about financial markets such as information about equities,commodities, currencies, derivatives and their related markets.

[0018] The virtual reality world created by the present invention doesnot map real world objects. Rather, the information displayed in virtualreality world created by the present invention is abstract informationabout the real world that does not have a physical object equivalent inthe real world. The representative embodiment is directed to generatinga virtual reality world from financial information, although in otherembodiments, other abstract information, for example, sports results,legal information and defense information could be used to create thevirtual reality world.

[0019] When abstract information, such as financial information, isdisplayed in a virtual reality world, it is represented by real worldobjects in three dimensional form, called metaphors. The presentinvention, in the representative embodiment, creates a three-dimensionalvirtual reality world of financial information. The virtual realityworld presents specific financial information as three dimensionalobjects, or metaphors, as part of the virtual reality world. The user isable to view, manipulate, and travel through the metaphors, which aredisplayed in such a way to allow the user to easily locate relevantfinancial information, interact with different characteristics and seefinancial trends.

[0020] Further, the user is able to use the virtual reality worldgenerate by the present invention to funnel information and trends fromvarious sources into one object of the virtual reality world.

[0021] In effect, a virtual reality world created using financialinformation can be considered as displaying a hybrid of financialinformation and market geography representing a virtual financial worldhaving terrain categorized and structured to enable a user to easilyextract patterns and interconnections. Thus, for example, the geographyof the virtual reality world (in the representative embodiment, it ismarket geography), is defined, in part, by a three dimensionalcoordinate system that sets out the borders of “geographical” featuresin the terrain. The geography can represent information elements thatare non-integer taxonomies of the financial information. Thus, thepresent invention can map many characteristics of the system beingmodelled to a representative geography of the system where its taxonomycomes to life as a terrain.

[0022] If structured correctly, a virtual reality world has theadvantage of presenting a very large amount of information in pictorialform. People can comprehend interactions and interrelationships betweeninformation when it is presented visually. Thus, an experienced virtualreality user can easily see, comprehend and remember complexinterrelationships between items of information and, using visual cues,take advantage of the natural perceptual process of the human mind thatprocesses visual information. This is particularly important for moneymanagers and financial analysts who daily use large volumes of financialinformation from variety of sources.

[0023] The present invention, in a representative embodiment, comprisesfour modules. An input module continuously receives a stream offinancial information. In the representative embodiment, this streamcomprises real-time data about financial markets and is pre-processed bya financial analytic system. The second module, a user interface module,allows the user to input criteria to select certain parts of the streamof financial data for display and to input display settings for thevirtual reality world and metaphors in the virtual reality world. Ineffect, the user interface module allows the user to define his or hervirtual reality worlds. The third module, a filter module, selects theparts of the stream of financial data for display in the virtual realityworld based upon the criteria input by the user. The fourth module is avirtual reality generator that generates and continuously modifies thevirtual reality world representing the financial data. The virtualreality generator allows the user to “travel through” the virtualreality world and to select metaphors in the virtual reality world fordetailed display.

[0024] The input module in the representative embodiment takes as inputinformation structured by an analytic system. (In alternativeembodiments, the input can be received from a knowledge base, neuralnetwork, artificial intelligence system or any system that structures orcategorizes data.) An analytic system organizes and structures rawfinancial information into various forms commonly used by money managersand financial analysts. In the representative embodiment, the analyticsystem that produces the pre-processed stream of financial informationis the CAPRI financial analysis system, produced by Maxus SystemsInternational of New York, N.Y. The CAPRI analytic system itselfreceives as input real-time, financial data from on-line services suchas the Reuters' and the Knight-Ridder Inc.'s digital data feed servers.The CAPRI analytic system takes this information (in the form of “raw”financial data), and using financial models and analysis techniques,builds a database of financial information. Systems such as the CAPRIanalytic system are also able to store financial information for lateranalysis. (The CAPRI analytic system can display the financial data instandard spreadsheet-like windows operating in a Microsoft Windowsenvironment. It also allows a user to export information to otherapplication programs, a feature used by the input module of the presentinvention.) For example, the CAPRI analytic system allows a user todefine areas of interest from large areas of financial information, andthen create price and volume charts for any stock issue, includingfutures, stocks, indexes, currencies, bonds and commodities. The CAPRIanalytic system, for example, can provide a graphical profit and lossand risk evaluation analysis for options strategies, create price volumecharts including intra day charts with real time updating, createoptions strategies that can be saved for future analysis, undertaketime, bond and futures analysis, and analyze and screen financial data(and generate reports) using techniques such as moving averages,momentum, Wilder's relative strength, stochastics and ordinary leastsquares. In the representative embodiment, the CAPRI analytic system isused to feed in real-time complex and voluminous financial informationto the input module. In short, the more functions that the analyticsystem performs, the more functions that can be mapped to a virtualreality is world.

[0025] The input module, in other embodiments, can be designed withsimple modifications to receive input from rule-based expert systems(such as the Level5 Object program), neural networks that learn (such asthe BRAINCEL neural network add-in for the EXCEL brand spreadsheetprogram by the Microsoft Corporation), knowledge bases that use fuzzylogic and the like. It is preferred if these input sources are DDE orOLE compatible, as explained below, to enable easy interaction andsharing of information.

[0026] The analytic system, as described above, requires a real timedata feed. Alternatively, financial data can be entered manually intothe analytic system or can be imported in batches and stored in theanalytic system. In such cases, the analytic system would not operate inreal time and therefore the virtual reality generator would not operatein real-time.

[0027] The analytic system that passes data to input module in therepresentative embodiment must be able to export financial data. Forexample, the CAPRI analytic system is able to export financial data tothe Microsoft Excel spreadsheet program via the dynamic data exchange(“DDE”) protocol in real-time. The DDE protocol is used by the inputmodule of the representative embodiment to receive a stream of financialinformation. (In the representative embodiment, the input module, theuser interface module and the filter module are all DDE and OLEcompatible.) The financial data received by the input module can be thatselected for display by the user using the user interface module, whichinteracts with the input module to request (using DDE protocol commands)selected financial data. In an alternative embodiment, the input modulecan be coupled directly to the financial data feed, such as the Reuter'sdata feed. In such an embodiment, the input generator requires asub-module to interpret the data feed into a form recognized by thevirtual reality generator. In another embodiment, the virtual realitygenerator can store, in an associated database, the financialinformation that is required to create the virtual reality world. Insuch circumstances, the virtual reality generator does not operate inreal time. In a further embodiment, the input module of the presentinvention can be coupled to an application program, such as aspreadsheet program or a database program, and access financialinformation that is stored in such a program. The input module wouldtherefore communicate with the application program using a protocolrecognized by the application program.

[0028] The virtual reality generator of the present invention generatesa virtual reality world from the inputed financial information. Thevirtual reality world represents the financial information. In therepresentative embodiment, the virtual reality world is constantlychanging to represent changes in the financial information. For example,if the financial information concerns the futures market, the virtualreality world could represent the current state of the futures market.

[0029] The following is an example of a virtual reality world that canbe generated by the virtual reality generator of the present invention.The virtual reality world is defined by the use of the user interfacemodule. Assume that the user has selected as the virtual reality worldthe stock markets of Tokyo and New York. The user may designate that thethree-dimensional virtual reality world be divided into a gridcomprising four squares. One of the axis of the grid will represent thetwo stock markets, the other axis will represent two industry groups,such as “financial” and “industrials”. Therefore, one square on the gridrepresents, for example, New York Industrials. Each square on the gridcan be further divided to represent industry sub-groups for that market.Each stock is represented by a metaphor, for example, a polygon. Thenumbers of sides of the polygon can be selected by the user torepresent, for example, the degree of capitalization of the stock. Thecolor of the polygon can represent, for example, profit or loss. Theheight of the polygon (above or below the plane) can represent, forexample, the price change or volatility of the stock. Polygonsrepresenting companies that are about to declare a dividend can be madeto spin. Companies in bankruptcy can be represented by a flashingpolygon. Each company's corporate logo can be textured on the top orside of the polygon. Visual arrow vectors, whose dimensions representinformation about financial movement, can be coupled to a polygon torepresent trends. Polygons that spin or blink can represent the resultsof the best 50 stocks selected by a certain criteria from a database.Other visual ques can be used to represent financial information aboutthe stocks, as selected by the user.

[0030] The shapes, colors, positions, animations and textures of themetaphors can be selected by the user to represent differentcharacteristics of the financial data.

[0031] Several incoming data streams can be the source of the financialinformation for one virtual reality world. (The sources can be combinedby the analytic system or by the input module. In the representativeembodiment, the sources are combined by the CAPRI analytic system.) Asthe financial data changes, the position, shape, color and texture ofthe metaphors in the virtual reality world also change.

[0032] The virtual reality world created by the virtual realitygenerator of the present invention allows the user to “fly” through avirtual world representing financial information. As another example,assume that the virtual reality world designed by the user concerns onestock market arranged by industry groups and sub-groups. The user canposition himself or herself in the virtual reality world so that theuser has a bird's eye view of the stock market. In the example, thestock market could be represented as a grid pattern of geometricprimitives, such as polygons or cubes, on a geographic-like terrain.Navigating with a device such as a spaceball, the user can then “fly”down to ground level and view the financial information from thisperspective, to see which stocks are situated above or below groundlevel. For example, if the stock information depicted as a polygon isthe trading price of one stock relative to the prior weeks' movingaverage of the stock, the user can fly down to ground level and viewwhatever stock is trading up (above average) or down (below average)depending on whether the polygon is above or below ground level.

[0033] Many financial indicators can be specified by the user using theuser interface module. The user is presented with a virtual realityworld of selected financial information where location, colors, sounds,shapes and movement all specify financial information that the user hasrequested information about. (This information may also includeinformation about positions a user has in his or her portfolio.) Theuser, examining and moving through just one screen (i.e. the virtualreality world in three dimensions) can immediately spot importantinformation. The user can then zoom in on this information (for exampleby flying to this polygon) and view all the information available aboutthis instrument. This information can be presented on a separate screenor can be presented as part of the virtual reality. If the user fliesdown and selects an instrument, in an alternative embodiment, the useris able to receive verbal or sound information about the instrument.

[0034] Additionally, the user can be “positioned” so that the user feelslike he or she is in the cockpit of a fighter plane, and navigate thisplane around the virtual reality world. Instruments on the planescontrol panel can represent other information. For example, the user hasthe option of defining a characteristics seeking missile to be launchedfrom the plane. The user may define the missile as a profit seekingmissile (using a preselected definition of profit). When activated,profit seeking missiles will zoom in on, for example, the stocks thatare the most likely to be profitable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the modular structure of arepresentative embodiment of the present invention.

[0036]FIG. 2 is an example of the interface panel generated by the userinterface module of the present invention.

[0037]FIGS. 3a to 3 d are examples of a typical screen displaysgenerated by the virtual reality generator of the present invention.

[0038]FIG. 4 is a flow chart indicating the flow of control of thevirtual reality generator of FIG. 1.

[0039]FIGS. 5a to 5 c are examples of the sampled filtered inputreceived by the input module of the present invention.

[0040]FIG. 6 is an example of the instruments user interface cardgenerated by the user interface module of FIG. 1.

[0041]FIG. 7 is an example of a super-groups user interface cardgenerated by the user interface module of FIG. 1.

[0042]FIG. 8 is an example of a sub-groups user interface card generatedby the user interface module of FIG. 1.

[0043]FIG. 9 is an example of a industry group user interface cardgenerated by the user interface module of FIG. 1.

[0044]FIG. 10 is an example of an action user interface card generatedby the user interface module of FIG. 1.

[0045]FIG. 11 is an example of a metaphor box generated by the userinterface module of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Referring now to the drawings, and initially FIG. 1, there isillustrated a representative embodiment, in block diagram form, of themodular structure of the present invention.

[0047] A user interface module 2 is used by a user to input userinstructions 10, such as display parameters and filter parameters. Theuser instructions 10 also comprise instructions to create a virtualreality world, to store the parameters for a virtual reality world in aconfiguration file 6, and to retrieve the parameters for a storedvirtual reality world for the configuration file 6. The userinstructions 10 are interpreted by a virtual reality generator 4 tocreate a virtual reality world.

[0048] The virtual reality generator 4 interprets the user instructions10 and coordinates interaction with the configuration file 6. Using theuser instructions 4, the virtual reality generator causes an inputmodule 8 to obtain from an analytic system (not shown), using queries 12understandable by the analytic system, pre-processed financialinformation 14 that complies with the user instructions 10. Thisfinancial information is supplied to the virtual reality generator 4.

[0049] Using information in the configuration file 6 and where requiredthe financial information supplied by the input module 8, the virtualreality generator 4 creates a virtual reality world which is output 16on a display device (not shown). The virtual reality generator 4 usesfunctions from a toolkit 18 to create and manipulate the virtual realityworld.

[0050] In an alternative embodiment, the pre-processed financialinformation 14 is supplied to the input module 8 in pockets at periodicintervals. The packets may or may not be in response to queries 12 fromthe input module 8. For example, the pre-processed financial information14 may be supplied in flat table form to the input module 8 every fourhours. The input module 8, with reference to the user instructions 4,selects from the packet the financial information to be used by thevirtual reality generator 4. In this embodiment, the analytic system canbe a database and need not be permanently connected to a real-timesource of financial information. It is useful for the database, whenupdated, to record what information has been updated, and supply thisinformation to the input module 8 to simplify processing.

[0051] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a representativeembodiment of an interface panel 20 controlled by the user interfacemodule 2 of the present invention.

[0052] The interface panel 20 is used by a user to input parameters todefine a virtual reality world and to instruct the present invention tocreate a virtual reality world. The interface panel (as well as theother user interface cards explained below) in the representativeembodiment uses the Microsoft Windows 3.0 protocol. Users interact withthe interface panel 20 using standard GUI commands.

[0053] The input module 8 of the present invention allows the user todefine a virtual reality world. The input model 8 in the representativeembodiment of the present invention cause a window to be displayed on acomputer monitor. The window generated by the user interface module 2,in the representative embodiment, has five sections.

[0054] The first section is a virtual reality world indicator 22. Thevirtual reality world indicator 22 allows the user to nominate whichvirtual reality world the user desires to define or view. Each virtualreality world can be represented by a configuration number to allow theconfiguration of the virtual reality world to be saved and retrieved.For example, ten virtual reality worlds can be saved at the one time inthe representative embodiment. Once a virtual reality world has beendefined by a user, the definition can be save for later use, and issaved and retrieved using the virtual reality world indicator 22.

[0055] The second section of the window generated by the user interfacemodule 2 comprises a mix switch 24. The mix switch 24 in therepresentative embodiment is a mix button which can be activated by auser. Activation of the mix button will cause the virtual realitygenerator 4 to create the virtual reality world as indicated by thevirtual reality world indicator 22. In alternative embodiments, the mixswitch can be used to save the configuration of the current virtualreality world in the configuration file 6.

[0056] The third section of the window generated by the user interfacemodule comprises a set of action indicators 26. Action indicators 26allow the user to determine how certain features of the financialinformation will be displayed or highlighted in the virtual realityworld. The action indicators 26 are used to set display parameters. Forexample, an action may be the flashing of an object or the spinning ofan object. If the metaphors used are polygons, the action indicators candefine which metaphors will be spinning polygons and flashing polygons.

[0057] In the representative embodiment, there are three actionindicators, a spinning indicator 30, a flashing indicator 32 and a soundindicator 34, and one special action indicator 36, a profit (or othercharacteristic) seeking missile, as explained below.

[0058] In general terms, the action indicators 26 can be used to defineareas of interest concerning three types of financial information, oftencalled analytic types: derivatives, fundamentals and technicals.Derivatives are parameters relating to options on a stock, bond,commodity or future, as well indexes (such as the theoreticalBlack-Sciholes value of options on the Standard and Poors's 100 index)and warrants. Fundamentals are particular parameters defining acompany's financial performance, for example, a company's price/earningsratio or price/growth ratio. A technical is a financial parameter abouta stock relative to a broad market index, such as the S&P 500 index oran indicator, like a moving average, price momentum or relativestrength. By using the action indicators 26, the user can select acriteria from the lists of fundamentals, derivatives and technicals foreach action indicator 26, as explained below with reference to FIGS. 10and 11. The user can define his or her own fundamental, derivative ortechnical for an action indicator 26.

[0059] An expert agent (or expert action) is a special analytic type. Anexport agent is a user defined complex financial analysis program,sub-program or formula that can be linked to the present invention. Anexample of an expert agent may be a neural network, rule-based expertsystem or news wire service that produce a list financial instruments.For example, a rule-based expert system could produce a list of the tenmost promising stocks.

[0060] For each action indicator 26, the user is able to define,specific areas of interest such as a specific derivative, fundamental ortechnical. For example, the flashing indicator 32 could be defined inrelation to a fundamental as all industrial stocks having a priceearnings ratio of the relative industry group greater than six. In thevirtual reality world, all metaphors representing industrial stocks withprice earnings ratios greater than six will be displayed as flashingmetaphors. By way of example, the flashing indicator 32 in FIG. 2 hasbeen nominated by the user to be a fundamental action. (The user usedthe screen display of FIG. 11 to nominate the category as “fundamental”as explained below.) The user could have alternatively chosen‘derivative’, ‘technical’, or ‘expert agent’. By using an icon 32 a, theuser is able to list all defined fundamental actions. (The definedfundamental actions are specified and defined using the interface cardof FIG. 9.) The user can chose a fundamental form the list. The chosenfundamental is displayed in a combo box 32 b.

[0061] The special action indicator 36 is, in the representativeembodiment, a characteristics seeking missile. The user defines afinancial characteristic, for example profit, bankruptcy, or volume.Using known analytical formulas, the virtual reality generator 4 of thepresent invention will seek out the area or areas in the virtual realityworld that best satisfy the characteristic defined by the user. Forexample, if the user selects as the characteristic profit, thus defininga profit seeking missile, the virtual reality generator 4 can be used to“seek out”, for example, stocks that are likely to generate a profit. Inthe virtual reality world generated by the virtual reality generator 4,the profit seeking missile, when activated, will fly through virtualreality world to the most profitable stocks, thus being a highly visibleque for the user. The user can define the characteristic of the specialaction indicator 36 using a define section in the window generated bythe user interface module 2. The user can activate the characteristicseeking missile from an input device, such as a button on a trackball.In alternative embodiments, other actions can be given to the specialaction indicator 36. For example, the special action indicator 36 may bea cockpit display where the instruments, as defined by the user,represent financial information and the user's position in the virtualreality world.

[0062] The fourth section of the window generated by the user interfacemodule is a display parameters section 40. The display parameterssection 40 allows the user to set display parameters for objects in thevirtual reality world. In the representative embodiment, there are thedisplay parameters include shape, color, texture and axis. A shapedisplay parameter determines what the shape of the object in the virtualreality world signifies. For example, the user may set a three sidedmetaphor to represent stock having small capitalization, a four sidedmetaphor to represent stock of medium capitalization and a five sidedmetaphor to represent stock of large capitalization (where small, mediumand large capitalization are further defined by the user). A colordisplay parameter 44 may be set to indicate, for example, companiesmaking a profit or a loss. Thus, a blue metaphor in the virtual realityworld may represent a company making a profit and a red metaphor mayrepresent a company making a loss. (The colors of the metaphors can beof various shadings, representing degrees of profit and loss.) Atextures display parameter 46 allows the user to set identifying symbolsfor each object in the virtual reality world. For example, the user mayset the textures display parameter 46 so that national flags,representing stocks trading on stock markets in foreign countries, areplaced on each metaphor representing a foreign stock. Or a corporatelogo may be placed on an object in the virtual reality world to identifyit as representing a stock of that corporation. In the representativeembodiment, the display parameters in the display parameter section 40are set by activating the appropriate labeled button, causing a furtherinterface card to be displayed which allows the user to set the variousparameters.

[0063] Additionally, in a representative embodiment, an action parameter50 allows the user to specify what input stream is to be used as inputto the input module 8 for processing by the virtual reality generator 4and what parts of the information from that input stream are of interestto the user. For example, in the representative embodiment, the userwill specify that the input stream is the output of the CAPRI analyticsystem and can then specify what sub-set of the possible informationthat can be generated by the CAPRI analytic system is to be displayed.(In the representative embodiment, the user's selections are translatedby the user interface module into a form that the CAPRI analytic systemcan understand. The CAPRI analytic system will then output to the inputmodule 8 of the present invention only that information that satisfiesthe defined queries. For example, the user's selections are translatedinto the form as specified in the. CAPRI manual, Chapter 19. Inparticular, the queries sent to the CAPRI analytic system conform withthe DDE protocol and are of the form set out in Chapter 19.4 of theCAPRI manual. Alternatively, the input module 8 can receive packets ofinformation, for example, in a form illustrated in FIGS. 4a-4 c. Theinput module 8 screens this information based upon the displayparameters and filters that were set by the user.

[0064] In other embodiments, as discussed above, a data base containingfinancial information can be used in place of the analytic engine. Forexample, financial information can be stored in a application programdata base. In such a case, the query generated by the virtual realitygenerator must be in a form understood by the database applicationprogram. Therefore, the action parameter 50 is used to specify what fileor application program is to be the source of the financial data inputand sets actions to take place on that file or by that applicationprogram to screen the information that is input.

[0065] In particular, the action parameter 50, in the representativeembodiment, is a button that, when activated, causes the interface cardof FIG. 10 to be displayed. This interface card enables the user to setand define available actions for each analytic type. These actions canbe linked to an action indicator 26.

[0066] An axis display parameter 48 allows the user to set the Z-axis(sometimes called the vertical axis) of the three dimensional virtualreality world. (The X-axis and Y-axis are set as discussed below withreference to FIG. 11.) Generally, the three axes can represent anycategory of financial information. For example, one axis can be set torepresent countries, a second axis can be set to represent industrygroups and a third axis can be set to represent price changes.Alternatively, the user could set the first axis to define two stockmarkets, for example New York and Tokyo, the second axis to representtwo types of stocks, for example utilities and financial, and the thirdaxis to represent percentage change in value of the stock over any userdefined time period. Alternatively, the user could set the first axis torepresent industry groups in a country, the second axis to representoption maturity dates and the third axis to represent price orvolatility.

[0067] In the representative embodiment, the Z-axis is set using theaxis display parameter 48. Examples of common settings for the Z-axisinclude an issues' percentage change over any user defined time period,today's price of an issue relative to a moving average over any userdefined time period, the price of an issue relative to an average of thehigh/low price over any user defined time period and the price of anissue relative to any broad market index over any user defined timeperiod.

[0068] The user has total flexibility to set the virtual reality worlddisplay parameters 40 so that the virtual reality world generated by thevirtual reality generator 4 of the present invention is a representationof the financial information which interests the user. For example, theshape display parameter 42 can be set to represent three degrees of anyfinancial information that the user desires. The interface cards of therepresentative embodiments illustrated are a convenient way to allow auser to specify the makeup and composition of a virtual reality world,using financial categories commonly used by money managers. The userinterface module 2 of the present invention can be designed to suit theneeds of each user and display interface cards and have various filtersthat allow the virtual reality world to be created with greatflexibility. Accordingly, the interface cards discussed are forillustration only and are not intended to limit the broad concepts anduses for the virtual reality world of the present invention.

[0069] The fifth section of the window generated by the user interfacemodule is a filter section 60. In the representative embodiment, thefilter section allows the user to set parameters so that a filter moduleor the input module 8 can select the parts of the stream of financialdata 14 for display. The parts of the financial data which are displayedin the virtual reality world depends upon the criteria input by the userin the filter section 60 of the window generated by the user interfacemodule 2.

[0070] In the representative embodiment, there are five filters that canthe set using the filter section of the window generated by the userinterface module, namely, an instruments filter 62, a countries filter64, a super-group filter 66, an industry group filter 68 and a sub-groupfilter 70.

[0071] The instruments filter 62 allows the user to select anycombination of financial instruments for display in the virtual realityworld (see FIG. 6). All possible instruments can be displayed, includingstocks, options, futures, commodities, financial indexes, foreignexchange, bonds, and mutual funds. For example, if the user was onlyinterested in stocks and bonds, the user could select, using theinstrument filter 62, stocks and bonds so that the virtual reality worldcomprises financial information concerning stocks and bonds, and noother instruments.

[0072] The countries filter 64 allows the user to specify countries. Thefinancial information displayed in the virtual reality world will bethat related to the specified countries. Also displayed are thecountry's exchanges to which the user is able to access.

[0073] The super-group, industry group and sub-group filters (66, 68,70) allow the user to specify and define groups of financial informationabout types of industries. For example, the super-group filter 66 can beused to filter for display information about any combination ofindustries, such as utilities, financial, industrials and the like.Using the industry group filter 68, the user can select specificindustrial groups such as computers, construction, auto, and the like.Using the sub-group filter 70, the user can select for displayparticular sub-groups of industry groups, such as information about automanufacturers that make light trucks.

[0074] The five filters described above are examples of the types offilters that can be used to select for display areas of financialinformation. The user interface module 2 uses the filters, as set by theuser, to filter out the information for display that is of interest tothe user. In the representative embodiment, the user interface moduleinterprets the filters set by the user and only requests financialinformation for the analytic system that satisfies the filters.Alternatively, the filters can be used to screen packets of informationsupplied to the input module 8.

[0075] When the user activates the mix switch 24, the virtual realitygenerator 4 is activated. The virtual reality generator 4, whenactivated, first stores the display parameters, the action indicatorsettings and the filters as configurations in the configuration file 6.In the representative embodiment, the configurations are used to definethe display of the virtual reality world and filter the input stream offinancial information 14. The virtual reality generator 18, using theconfigurations, constructs the virtual reality world in conformity withthe configurations. In the representative body embodiment, the virtualreality generator 4 instructs the input module 8 to obtain informationthat satisfies the configurations from the analytic system. (The inputmodule 8, in the representative embodiment, can use the information inthe configuration file 6 to query the analytic system. The analyticsystem uses the queries 12 to provide the relevant information to theinput module 8, which feeds that information to the virtual realitygenerator 4.)

[0076] In a further embodiment, the virtual reality generator 4 canquery a plurality of analytic systems and knowledge base systemsarranged in a network. For example, each analytic system can beconnected to a separate real-time source of financial information. Thevirtual reality generator 4 can then send queries 12 to the networkwhich will be directed by the network to the correct analytic system.

[0077] Once the input stream of financial information is defined and aninitial set of financial information has been input from this stream,the virtual reality generator 4, using the configurations in theconfiguration file 6, creates the virtual reality world. In therepresentative embodiment, the virtual reality world is implemented bythe virtual reality generator 4 using the WorldToolKit library ofC-language routines, developed by the Sense8 Corporation of Sausalito,Calif. The virtual reality generator, using this library of routines 18,redraws the virtual reality world 30 times per second. This, in effect,allows for real-time simulation of movement through the virtual realityworld.

[0078] In the representative embodiment, a 486 microprocessormanufactured by the Intel Corporation and an Intel DVI 2 board is usedto render the virtual reality images. Alternatively, Risc-basedworkstations from IBM, Sun Microsystems Inc., Silicon Graphics Inc. orthe Digital Equipment Corporation could be used. A 20 inch NEC colormonitor is used to display the virtual reality world. The input/outputof the present invention is DDE compatible and operates under theMicrosoft Windows 3.0 or higher operating system protocol.

[0079] Referring now to FIGS. 3a-3 d, these are illustrated four typicalscreen display generated by the virtual reality generator 4 of thepresent invention. FIG. 3a shows a top perspective 100 of a virtualreality world. In this example, stock markets are the parameters forfirst set a axis 102 and industry groups are parameters for a second setof axis 104. A financial instrument is displayed represented by ametaphor, being a geometric primitive, such as a polygon or cube (e.g.106 and 108.) The metaphors are, from this perspective, two-dimensional.When the user travels through the virtual reality world, it can be seenthat the world and the primitives are in effect three-dimensional. Thecolors and shape of the metaphor are significant, as discussed above.

[0080]FIG. 3b shows the same virtual reality world as FIG. 3a from theperspective (10 a) of a user moving through the virtual reality world.

[0081]FIG. 3c shows a further perspective (10 c) of the same virtualreality world as in FIG. 3a. The area of the virtual reality world 110in central view consists of information concerning Hong Kong financials.

[0082]FIG. 3d shows the same virtual reality world as FIG. 3a from theperspective (100 d) of a user “located” at ground level in the virtualreality world. The different shaped metaphors can be clearly seen. Theheight relationship of a metaphor represents financial information. Apointer 112 allows a user to select a metaphor so that furtherinformation can be displayed (either visually or through sound or both)to the user about the financial instrument represented by the selectedmetaphor.

[0083] As is apparent from FIGS. 3a-3 d, the virtual reality world isthree-dimensional which the user can travel through.

[0084] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated in flow chart formthe simulation loop used by the virtual reality generator 4 of FIG. 1 torender a virtual reality world.

[0085] At step 150, the virtual reality generator receives financialinformation. This information could be received in response to a query12 to an analytic system or database of pre-processed financial data.Alternatively, the input could be received at regular intervals inpredetermined packets of financial information.

[0086] At step 152, an action function is called. The action function isrelated to a universe and the metaphors it contains and defines andcontrols activity in the simulation. In the action function, eventsinvolving metaphors, graphical or otherwise, can be specified. (Examplesof events which might be specified in the action function include (a)program termination in response to the user processing a button or amouse; (b) simulation of changing lighting conditions; (c) eventhandling for the virtual reality world, such as when a metaphor isselected by the user.)

[0087] At step 154, the metaphors in the universe are updated based uponany new financial information received.

[0088] At step 156, the graphical metaphors are set to perform any userdefined tasks, such as spinning or blinking.

[0089] At step 158, the universe is rendered on a display device. Steps150 to 158 are repeated until the user gives a predetermined stopcommand.

[0090] As required, the steps above, in the representative embodiment,may involve function calls to a World Toolkit functions that perform thetask of simulating a virtual reality world, and if required, functioncalls to the input module 8. When necessary, the virtual realitygenerator 4 accesses the configuration file 6 to obtain parametersconcerning the virtual reality world and the metaphors.

[0091] Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated an example of theinput 14 received by the input module 8 of FIG. 1.

[0092] In a representative embodiment, the input is received in threefiles or packets, namely FUND.PRI, DAILY.PRI and SPIN.PRI. The input canbe received in response to a query 12 from the input module 8 or atregular predetermined intervals. All input files, in the examples, arein the Reuter's symbol format. The files can be stored in a memory andaccessed by the present invention or they can be input as often asrequired.

[0093]FIG. 5a is an example of the contents of the FUND.PRI input file,which contain fundamentals information. (This file can be generated by adatabase program or analytics system. Alternatively, it can be manuallyentered into the input module 8.) Each line contains a set ofinformation. In this figure, the first line 170 lists the type ofinformation in each line. (This is not usually input to the virtualrealty generator 4 and is for purposes of illustration only.) Taking thelast line 172 as an example, the issue has issue code 7267. The type ofissue is “S” (for stock). (Other types of issues include “I” for indexand “F ” for futures). The dividend was 10. The Book Value was 800.Earnings were 70. Estimated earnings are 82. There is no entry made forthe Sedol Holdings number or market capitalization in this file. Thename of the stock is “Honda Motors” and the industry group is “Autos”.

[0094]FIG. 5b is an example of the contents of DAILY.PRI file TheDAILY.PRI file is named after the date on which the information in thefile relates, in this example, “122191” for Dec. 21, 1991. This file canbe entered daily, or at more regular intervals if required. It containsinformation on daily price changes and volatility calculated over apredetermined period. By way of example, the last line 174 containsinformation for stock number 023 on the Hong Kong exchange. The last bidfor this stock was 38, with a high (in the predetermined period) of38.25 and a low (in the predetermined period) of 37.5. The volume ofstock traded was 3060527. The price change since the previous day waszero.

[0095]FIG. 5c is an example of the contents of the SPIN.PRI file. Thisfile contains screened financial information, about an issue, such aspercentage annual profit and other well-known financial indicators. Eachissue, such as the issue marked 176, has information that takes twolines of FIG. 5c. Each item of information (e.g. 178 a) relates to thecorresponding category listed in the first two lines (e.g. 178 b).

[0096] Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated an instruments cards200 generated by the user interface module 2 of FIG. 1 when the useractivates the instruments filter button 62. Using standard GUItechniques, the user is able to filter (or select) instruments 201, inany combination, for display in the virtual reality world.

[0097] Referring to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a super-groups Card 210generated when the user activates the super-groups filter button 66 fromthe interface panel 20 of FIG. 2. Using standard GUI techniques, theuser is able to define for display various super-groups of industries.The user enters a user defined name in a name box 214, which thenappears in a super-group box 216, in highlighted form 218. From anavailable industries box 212, the user selects industry groups to bemembers of the user defined super-group 218. Once the super-group hasbeen defined the user saves the super-group definition using an addbutton 220. The composition of a selected super-group 218 can be viewedif the user activates the “show makeup of group” square 222.

[0098] Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated a sub-groups card 240,which is displayed when the user activates the sub-group button 70 onthe interface panel 20 of FIG. 2. The sub-groups card 240 allows theuser to select for display various industry sub-groups, or othersub-groups of financial information. From the available box 242, theuser selects (using standard GUI methods, e.g., by activating a selectbutton 244) available sub-groups from the available box 242. Selectedsub-groups are displayed in an assigned box 246. (Sub-groups can bedefined, by a user activating a set up button 248 on the sub-group card240, which causes to be displayed a setup sub-group card. The setupsub-group card allows a user to assign industry groups to sub-groups.)

[0099] The sub-group card 240 indicates that there a three subgroupsassigned for display (246), namely “autos-light trucks”,“financial-banking” and “industrial-machinery”. The first term in thesub-group (e.g. “industrial”) is the industry group to which thesub-group (e.g. “machinery”) belongs. The sub-group information isderived from the input files, such as the FUND.PRI file. In the exampleof FIG. 8, the three sub-groups assigned for display will be thosecategories of stocks about which information will be displayed in thevirtual reality world. In particular, these sub-groups may be listedalong one axis of the virtual reality world. The user can delete anassigned sub-group using a delete button 247.

[0100] The sub-group interface card 240 also indicates that there areother “Available” sub-groups (242) which the user can select fordisplay. The user can select an available sub-group (242) for displayusing a select button 244. When the user has finished selecting anddeleting sub-groups for display, the user can activate an “ok” button249, which will cause control to return to window generated by the userinterface module 2.

[0101] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated an industry groupcard 260, which is displayed when the user activates the industry groupbutton 68 on the interface panel of FIG. 2.

[0102] This card allows a user to select for display instruments ofvarious industry groups. A user selects an instrument icon from aconfigure instruments section 262 of the industry group card 260. In theexample of FIG. 9, “stocks” 264 have been selected as the instrument.Available industries relating to stocks are displayed in an availableindustries box 266. A user may select any combination of theseindustries for display in the virtual reality world. Those industryselected are placed in an assigned box 268. (If another instrument wasselected from the configure instruments section 262, the availableindustries box 266 would comprise “industries” relating to thatinstrument.)

[0103] A three-D stack box 270 allows a user to “stack” industry groupsfor display in the virtual reality world on a number of discrete levelsin the world.

[0104] The industry groups card 260, the sub-groups card 240, thesuper-groups card 210 and the instruments card 200, along with acountry's card (not illustrated) allow the user to set what elements mayappear on the axes of the virtual reality world.

[0105] Referring now to FIG. 10, there is illustrated an action card300. The action card 300 is displayed when the user activates the actionbutton 50 on the interface card 20 of FIG. 2. The action card 300 allowsthe user to define formulas for the set of action indicators 26. Theuser select an analytic category (fundamental, technical, derivative orexpert action) from an analytic type box 302, sets, where applicable, arange from an action screen 304 and defines and builds a formula forthat analytic category. A range, for example, could be the top 10companies by yield.

[0106] The user names the action using an action name box 306. Actionsthat have already been named and defined appear in an available actionsbox 308. The formula for an action is defined in a formula box 310 usingconstructs from a formula builders box 312.

[0107] When an action has been named and defined, the user is able toselect the action using the action indicators 26 and a metaphor boxexplained below with reference to FIG. 11.

[0108]FIG. 11 illustrates a metaphor box 400, displayed when the useractivates the metaphor icon 72 from the interface card 20 of FIG. 2. Foreach action represented by the action indicators 26, the user mustselect whether the action relates to a derivative, fundamental,technical or expert agent. To do this, the user “connects” each one ofthe action icons 402 to the appropriate switch box 404. The interfacecard then displays the appropriate name (e.g. derivative, fundamental,etc) under the “connected” action indicator 26. (From the interfacepanel of FIG. 2, the user can then select the action indicator box,which will display all actions for that analytic type, which weredefined by the user using the action card 300.) For example, theflashing indicator 32 could be set to the fundamental switch box 406using the metaphor box 400. All fundamentals defined by the user fromthe action card 300 will then be displayed for selection of the useractivates the appropriate icon 32 a on the flashing indicator 32. Theselected fundamental is displayed in a combo box 32 b of the flashingindicator 32.

[0109] As another example, the list produced by the expert agent can bedisplayed (using the action indicators 26) via actions relating to thelisted stock's metaphors in the virtual reality world.

[0110] A configure matrix layout section 410 of the metaphor box 400allow the user to select one of six possible grid arrangements for theX-axis and Y-axis for the virtual reality world. For example, if theuser selects the third arrangement 412, then the virtual reality worldwill be displayed consisting of countries selected using the countriesfiller 64 on one axis and industry groups (or sub-groups) selected usingthe industry groups card 260 on another other axis.

What is claimed is:
 1. A virtual reality generator comprising an inputmodule that receives as input financial information; and means foroutputing to a display device a virtual reality world generated from thefinancial information.
 2. The virtual reality generator of claim 1wherein the financial information is pre-processed by a financialanalytic system prior to input to the virtual reality generator.
 3. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 2 wherein the financial analyticsystem pre-processes the financial information in real-time.
 4. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the financial informationis received from a data file.
 5. The virtual reality generator of claim1 wherein the financial information is received from a real-time datasource.
 6. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the displaydevice is a monitor.
 7. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 whereinthe display device is a visual stereoscopic head-mounted display device.8. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 further comprising means fordynamically displaying and continuously updating the virtual realityworld.
 9. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 further comprisingmeans for simulating movement through the virtual reality world underthe control of a control device.
 10. The virtual reality generator ofclaim 9 wherein the control device is a trackball.
 11. The virtualreality generator of claim 9 wherein the control device is a data glove.12. The virtual reality generator of claim 9 wherein the control deviceis a binocular omni orientation monitor.
 13. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 9 wherein the control device is a mouse.
 14. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 9 wherein the control device is awand.
 15. The virtual reality generator of claim 9 wherein the controldevice is a joystick.
 16. The virtual reality generator of claim 9wherein the simulated movement is controlled by movement of a headsetcontaining the display device.
 17. The virtual reality generator ofclaim 1 wherein the virtual reality world comprises a plurality ofmetaphors, each one of the plurality of metaphors representing a subsetof financial information.
 18. The virtual reality generator of claim 17wherein the plurality of metaphors are output for display as graphicalprimitives.
 19. The virtual reality generator of claim 17 furthercomprising a user interface module controlling a window display, thewindow display enabling input of a plurality of parameters to define thecharacteristics of the plurality of metaphors.
 20. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 19 wherein the plurality of parameters and thefinancial information determines the size, shape, color, and movement ofeach one of the plurality of metaphors.
 21. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 19 wherein each one of the plurality of metaphors hasa visual consistency and wherein a predetermined one of the plurality ofparameters and the financial information determines the visualconsistency of each one of the plurality of metaphors.
 22. The virtualreality generator of claim 19 wherein each one of the plurality ofmetaphors has a texture and wherein a predetermined one of the pluralityof parameters and the financial information determines the texture ofeach one of the plurality of metaphors.
 23. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 17 wherein the plurality of metaphors are animated.24. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 wherein the virtual realityworld is defined by a configuration parameter set.
 25. The virtualreality generator of claim 24 further comprising a memory wherein theconfiguration parameter set is stored in the memory.
 26. The virtualreality generator of claim 1 wherein the financial information ispre-processed by a knowledge-base system prior to input to the virtualreality generator.
 27. The virtual reality generator of claim 1 whereinthe financial information is pre-processed by a neural network prior toinput to the virtual reality generator.
 28. A virtual reality generatorto display on a display device a stream of financial informationreceived from a financial analytic system as a virtual reality world,the virtual reality generator comprising: an input module tocontinuously receive the stream of financial information from thefinancial analytic; and a virtual reality generator module including:(i) means for generating and continuously modifying the virtual realityworld so that the virtual reality world correspondingly represents thestream of financial information, (ii) means for causing the virtualreality world to be displayed on the display device from a plurality ofperspectives, and (iii) means for simulating, on the display device,movement through the virtual reality world.
 29. A virtual realitygenerator to display on a display device financial information as avirtual reality world, the virtual reality generator comprising: aninput module to receive as input the financial information; and avirtual reality generator module including: (i) means for generating thevirtual reality world representing the financial information, (ii) meansfor causing the virtual reality world to be displayed on the displaydevice from a plurality of perspectives, and (iii) means for simulating,on the display device, movement through the virtual reality world. 30.The virtual reality generator of claim 29 wherein the input modulereceives the financial information from a real-time data source.
 31. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 29 wherein the input module receivesthe financial information from a database.
 32. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 29 wherein the input module receives the financialinformation from a real-time data source and a database.
 33. The virtualreality generator of any one of claims 29, 30, 31 or 32 wherein thefinancial information is pre-processed by an analytic system prior toreceipt by the input module.
 34. A virtual reality generator to displayfinancial information as a virtual reality world, the virtual realitygenerator comprising: an input module receiving financial informationfrom a financial analytic system; a user interface module receiving asinput a plurality of display parameters and a plurality of filterparameters, the user interface module modifying the financialinformation to comply with the plurality of filter parameters; and avirtual reality generator module generating and continuously modifying avirtual reality world, the virtual reality world representing themodified financial information and satisfying the plurality of displayparameters.
 35. The virtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein thevirtual reality generator module further comprises means for displayingthe virtual reality world from a plurality of perspectives.
 36. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein the virtual realitygenerator module further comprises means for simulating movement in thevirtual reality world.
 37. The virtual reality generator of claim 34wherein the modified financial information is displayed as a pluralityof metaphors in the virtual reality world.
 38. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 34 wherein the plurality of metaphors are geometricprimitives.
 39. The virtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein theplurality of metaphors are polygons.
 40. The virtual reality generatorof claim 34 wherein the plurality of metaphors are rotatable.
 41. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein the plurality of metaphorshave variable luminance.
 42. The virtual reality generator of claim 34wherein a subset of the plurality of metaphors is selected to rotate bya predetermined one of the plurality of display parameters, eachmetaphor in the subset generated by the virtual reality generator modulesuch that it rotates.
 43. The virtual reality generator of claim 34wherein the plurality of metaphors have user defined textures.
 44. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein the plurality of metaphorsare colored.
 45. The virtual reality generator of claim 44 wherein thecolor of each of the plurality of metaphors is determined by apredetermined one of the plurality of display parameters.
 46. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein a subset of the pluralityof metaphors is selected to flash by a predetermined one of theplurality of display parameters, each metaphor in the subset generatedby the virtual reality module such that it flashes.
 47. The virtualreality generator of claim 35 wherein the plurality of displayparameters comprise attributes of financial instruments.
 48. The virtualreality generator of claim 35 wherein the user interface module includesmeans for displaying a simulated cockpit.
 49. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 35 wherein the virtual reality world is divided intoa grid of sub-regions.
 50. The virtual reality generator of claim 49wherein the virtual reality world represents the financial informationfor a single industry and each sub-region represents the financialinformation for the single industry in a plurality of markets.
 51. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 49 wherein the virtual reality worldrepresents the financial information for a single market and eachsub-region represents the financial information for a plurality ofindustries in the single market.
 52. The virtual reality generator ofclaim 49 wherein the virtual reality world represents the financialinformation for stocks, options and bonds in a single market and eachsub-region represents the financial performance of the stocks, optionsand bonds having a predetermined expiration date in a predeterminedindustry group.
 53. The virtual reality generator of claim 34 whereinthe financial information comprises financial information concerningstocks.
 54. The virtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein thefinancial information comprises financial information concerning bonds.55. The virtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein the financialinformation comprises financial information concerning commodities. 56.The virtual reality generator of claim 53 wherein the virtual realityworld comprises a plurality of metaphors representing a plurality ofstocks, each one of the plurality of stocks displayed in the virtualreality world satisfying the filter parameters.
 57. The virtual realitygenerator of claim 56 wherein each one of the plurality of metaphorshave shape, size, position, behavior and color to represent financialinformation concerning one of the plurality of stocks.
 58. The virtualreality generator of claim 43 wherein the user defined texture includesa logo.
 59. The virtual reality generator of claim 35 wherein thevirtual reality world is updated at least 30 times per second.
 60. Thevirtual reality generator of claim 34 wherein the virtual realitygenerator module includes means for generating and simultaneouslydisplaying a plurality of virtual reality worlds.
 61. The virtualreality generator of claim 37 wherein the user interface module includesmeans for selecting one of the plurality of metaphors and wherein thevirtual reality generator module includes means for displayinginformation relating to the selected one of the plurality of metaphors.62. The virtual reality generator of claim 61 further comprising meansfor producing sounds relating to the selected one of the plurality ofmetaphors.
 63. A computer system to create a virtual reality worldrepresenting financial information, the computer system comprising aninput port receiving as input financial information; a programmableprocessor coupled to the input port including means for generating thevirtual reality world from the financial information; a display devicecoupled to the programmable processor for displaying the virtual realityworld; and a control device coupled to the programmable processor tocontrol display of and movement through the virtual reality world. 64.The computer system of claim 63 wherein the programmable processor is amicroprocessor.
 65. The computer system of claim 63 wherein the displaydevice is at least a 20 inch, high resolution monitor.
 66. The computersystem of claim 63 wherein the display device is a headset.
 67. Thecomputer system of claim 63 wherein the control device is a trackball.68. The computer system of claim 63 wherein the display device is abinocular omni orientation monitor.
 69. The computer system of claim 63wherein the control device is a dataglove.
 70. The computer system ofclaim 63 wherein the means for generating the virtual reality worldutilizes a plurality of object-oriented library functions.
 71. Thecomputer system of claim 70 wherein the plurality of object-orientedlibrary functions generate the virtual reality world.
 72. The computersystem of claim 63 further comprising a memory device coupled to theprogrammable processor to store the virtual reality world.
 73. A virtualreality generator to generate a virtual reality world representingfinancial information, the virtual reality generator comprising: aninput module continuously receiving from a financial analytic system thefinancial information; and a virtual reality generator module forgenerating and continuously modifying the virtual reality world suchthat the virtual reality world correspondingly represents the financialinformation.
 74. A virtual reality generator to display on a displaydevice financial information as a virtual reality world, the virtualreality generator comprising: means for receiving as input the financialinformation; and a virtual reality generator module including means for(i) generating the virtual reality world representing the financialinformation, (ii) displaying on the display device a virtual realityworld representing the financial information, (iii) displaying thevirtual reality world from a plurality of perspectives, and (iv)simulating, on the display device, movement through the virtual realityworld.
 75. A computer system to create a virtual reality worldrepresenting financial information, the computer system comprising aninput port receiving as input financial information; a plurality ofprogrammable processors coupled to coupled to the input port includingmeans for generating the virtual reality world from the financialinformation; a display device coupled to at least one of the pluralityof programmable processors for displaying the virtual reality world instereoscopic form; and a control device coupled to at least one of theplurality of programmable processors to control display of and movementthrough the virtual reality world.
 76. A virtual reality generatorcomprising: an input module to receive packets of financial informationat regular predetermined intervals; display means for displaying on adisplay device a virtual reality world generated from the financialinformation; and processing means for updating the virtual reality worldwhen a new packet of financial information is received by the inputmodule.
 77. The virtual reality world of claim 76 further comprising:means for receiving input from a user; and means for modifying thedisplay on the display device in response to the input received from theuser.
 78. A method for displaying and manipulating large quantities offinancial information, the method comprising the steps of: a. receivingas input pre-processed financial information; b. controllably selectinga part of the preprocessed financial information for display; c.generating a virtual reality world from the financial informationselected for display, the virtual reality world representing thefinancial information; and d. displaying the virtual reality world. 79.The method of claim 78 further comprising the steps of: e. continuouslyupdating the virtual reality world using the pre-processed financialinformation; and f. simulating movement through the virtual realityworld.
 80. The method of claim 78 further comprising the step ofsimulating movement through the virtual reality world.
 81. The method ofclaim 78 further comprising the steps of continuously updating thevirtual reality world using the pre-processed financial information. 82.A method for displaying and manipulating financial information, themethod comprising the steps of: a. receiving as input the financialinformation; b. generating a virtual reality world from the financialinformation, the virtual reality world representing the financialinformation; and c. displaying the virtual reality world.
 83. The methodof claim 82 further comprising the steps of: d. continuously updatingthe virtual reality world using the financial information; and e.simulating movement through the virtual reality world.
 84. A method fordisplaying and manipulating financial information, the method comprisingthe steps of: a. continuously receiving as input packets of financialinformation; b. generating a virtual reality world from the packets offinancial information, the virtual reality world representing thefinancial information; c. displaying the virtual reality world d.updating the virtual reality world when a packet of financialinformation is received; and e. simulating movement through the virtualreality world.